Withering Rooms

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,089 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Withering Rooms Game Cover
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"Withering Rooms" is a horror narrative adventure game where players uncover the chilling secrets of a haunted museum. Investigate eerie rooms, solve puzzles, and survive encounters with otherworldly beings. With each decision, players step closer to the truth and face the consequences of their actions.

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,089 reviews
gameplay113 positive mentions
grinding21 negative mentions
  • Withering Rooms is a unique blend of survival horror and roguelike elements, offering a fresh take on the genre.
  • The game features a captivating story, rich lore, and a variety of interesting characters that keep players engaged.
  • The atmosphere, visuals, and soundtrack are exceptional, creating a haunting and immersive experience.
  • Combat can feel clunky and unresponsive at times, which may frustrate players.
  • The roguelike mechanics can be punishing, as players lose most items upon death, leading to potential tedium.
  • Some puzzles may be overly complex or vague, causing confusion and hindering progress.
  • gameplay398 mentions

    The gameplay of "Withering Rooms" combines elements of survival horror, action RPG, and roguelike mechanics, creating a complex and engaging experience that encourages exploration and adaptation. While the unique "curse" mechanic adds depth and risk-reward dynamics, the combat system has been criticized for its inconsistency and repetitiveness, leading to mixed feelings about its execution. Overall, players appreciate the rich atmosphere, intriguing story, and the variety of gameplay paths, though some find the initial learning curve and certain mechanics frustrating.

    • “The gameplay is a challenging and addictive 2D action RPG with multiple avenues of advancement, and it strikes a good balance between hammering the player and also letting them grow and course-correct.”
    • “The beautiful Victorian horror lore and gameplay elements are seamlessly combined, which encourage you to adapt your build, tactics, and manage resources in different ways.”
    • “What this game does really well is the feeling of progression and it became kind of addicting with a good gameplay loop.”
    • “The game's combat system emulates modern action RPG mechanics and real-time combat (soulslike), but the hitboxes and hurtboxes are inconsistent and defensive maneuvers are unreliable, making it feel more like an RPG where you need to win by attrition.”
    • “Execution: it looks and plays like a bad flash game, with floaty controls, bizarre hitboxes, and none of the precision needed for souls-like gameplay to work.”
    • “But too much of the gameplay relies on this really shoddy melee combat system and the balance just doesn't work for me.”
  • story351 mentions

    The game's story is widely praised for its depth, originality, and engaging world-building, featuring multiple endings and intriguing plot twists that encourage exploration and replayability. While some players found the narrative convoluted or poorly conveyed through dialogue and documents, many appreciated the atmospheric presentation and the way the story unfolds gradually, making it a compelling experience overall. The integration of gameplay mechanics with the narrative adds to its richness, making it a standout in the roguelike genre.

    • “The worldbuilding is really interesting and goes deeper and deeper with fresh ideas and plot twists, and even New Game Plus has some new story in it.”
    • “The story is really well told and is genuinely interesting to slowly unravel.”
    • “The story and worldbuilding is top notch, and made me want to know what was going to happen next and how my actions affect the world.”
    • “The plot is the only weak point, as it reveals itself rather early on and there isn't much that is mysterious or engaging after the early reveals.”
    • “Up until chapter 4 I was actually pretty invested, but near the end I stopped finding the characters and plot in general to be very believable, and additionally I thought the ending decision was a bit forced.”
    • “Despite this, I feel the story gets a bit too campy towards the end of it.”
  • music185 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its haunting beauty and atmospheric variety, effectively enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers noted the soundtrack's originality, with influences ranging from eerie piano to smooth jazz, and praised its ability to adapt to the game's mood and mechanics. Many players found themselves captivated by the music, often leading them to purchase the soundtrack separately, highlighting its integral role in creating a unique and immersive horror experience.

    • “The soundtrack is absolutely incredible too, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming along to the tunes for different rooms and locations.”
    • “The music is haunting and beautiful, with eerie piano playing throughout, weird smooth jazz, and unfitting drum and bass, always fresh and original.”
    • “An amazing unique horror game with a great atmosphere, tone, and a godlike soundtrack.”
    • “The only fault is that the music is sometimes completely at odds with the visuals.”
    • “The music is repetitive at times but it is mostly alright.”
    • “I'm sorry, but the constellation and organ music puzzle in act 2 are not satisfying.”
  • atmosphere169 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, effectively combining a haunting soundtrack, clean art direction reminiscent of PS2-era graphics, and a compelling narrative that evokes feelings of paranoia and mystery. Players appreciate the dynamic environmental changes influenced by the game's curse mechanic, which enhances the sense of dread and exploration. Overall, the atmosphere is described as deeply engaging, making it a standout experience for fans of horror and atmospheric games.

    • “The atmosphere is done so well, the paranoia, the mystery from the story, the way curse interacts with your environment having you constantly questioning what is real even after dozens of gameplay hours.”
    • “The atmosphere is fantastic, the scenario is really weird but interesting (it does the 'weird other world' style very well), the soundtrack and sound design is really good and I adore the way the areas change depending on your cursed stat.”
    • “This game's atmosphere, soundtrack, and all-around vibe are amazing; you'll really feel like you're trapped in an unending nightmare of insanity.”
    • “A word of warning: the atmosphere shifts dramatically over the course of the game and loses a lot of its early intensity due to the combat focus (monsters lose a lot of their scariness if you hit them with an axe in the face).”
    • “The atmosphere is downright oppressive at times, especially with the well-done sanity mechanic, which leaves you toeing the line of madness to reveal hidden secrets and benefits from being at a high curse level.”
    • “The atmospheres are very creepy, and when you become a certain amount of 'cursed', the environments change from lit and sort of peaceful (for the most part), to grotesque and eerie.”
  • graphics100 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a cleanly eerie art direction reminiscent of PS2-era aesthetics, effectively creating a creepy atmosphere throughout the Mostyn mansion and its surroundings. While some players noted optimization issues and a janky feel, many appreciated the visuals for their ability to evoke nostalgia and enhance the horror experience, with well-designed environments and monster animations contributing to the overall ambiance. Overall, the graphics are considered good enough to support the game's rich storytelling and thematic depth, with a unique blend of styles that appeals to fans of classic survival horror.

    • “The PS2 aesthetics and the soundtrack match perfectly, creating a cohesive and immersive experience.”
    • “The graphics are beautifully weird and creepy, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Graphically, it looks very good, with the house being well detailed with distinctive paintings and furniture, contributing to the eerie ambiance.”
    • “The visuals and art style of the game are limited; I assume in order to spend most resources on gameplay and content.”
    • “Your character is not very responsive to the controls, animations look sluggish, menus and other graphical features are slow and edgy, making it look way more like a free student project, and not like a game that I've actually paid money for.”
    • “Graphically, at first I thought it doesn't look great but definitely decent; apparently it didn't run well on ultra (optimization issue) so I had to turn it down to high.”
  • replayability41 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through features like multiple endings, a New Game+ mode with new mechanics, and customizable gameplay options. While some players note that subsequent playthroughs can feel repetitive due to story progression elements, the variety of challenges and the shifting game environment keep the experience fresh. Overall, it combines engaging storytelling with robust replay value, making it a standout title in its genre.

    • “Add on top of this the multiple endings, a new game+ with new surprises, and countless ways to customize your ever-growing arsenal of powers, and you have a game with some of the best replay value in its genre.”
    • “There is a truly staggering amount of content and replayability; the amount and variety of new areas, new mechanics, new enemies, and secrets constantly drip-fed throughout the game had my jaw on the floor.”
    • “This was an unexpected gem, amazingly fun, and insane replay value with how the mansion shifts every time you die, also with the bonus of new game+.”
    • “Having beaten the game and gotten the 'true ending', I feel like there isn't much replayability as a true roguelike. This game is meant to be a long playthrough to get through it once, and subsequent playthroughs are a little faster, but you still have to go through some motions to progress the story (including watching cutscenes, talking to NPCs, doing their quests, and solving the same puzzles), which detracts from the roguelike experience.”
    • “I know it won't reach the replayability of some other roguelites like Rogue Legacy 2 or In Celebration of Violence, but it wasn't designed to pretend playing in the same room.”
    • “There is a truly staggering amount of content and replayability, but the amount and variety of new areas, new mechanics, new enemies, and secrets constantly drip-fed throughout the game had my jaw on the floor.”
  • grinding21 mentions

    Reviews highlight a mixed experience with grinding in the game. While some players find it tedious and repetitive, particularly due to a lack of randomness and the need for backtracking, others appreciate the enjoyable game loop and quality of life improvements that make grinding feel rewarding. Overall, the grinding aspect can be seen as either a mindless chore or a fun preparation mechanic, depending on the player's approach and build choices.

    • “No enemies or items are randomized each time, so it is literally doing the same thing over and over again, the most mindless, soulless grindy experience imaginable.”
    • “And finally the path to true ending is way too tedious, so I ended up just watching it on YouTube.”
    • “Though this is tedious as it is luck-based and random, so you'll have to loot through several chests and potentially loop the night a few times to get everything back.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with players noting that it runs well on the Steam Deck but experiences occasional performance drops, even in non-intensive moments like menus. While the graphics are deemed decent, some users encountered significant framerate issues on high-end hardware, suggesting that the game struggles with optimization, particularly at ultra settings. Overall, while the game is generally playable, there are notable inconsistencies that detract from the experience.

    • “The game runs fine most of the time, but I've had some bad framerates occasionally, even in places where performance drops shouldn't happen like the menus.”
    • “Graphically, at first I thought it doesn't look great but definitely decent; apparently it didn't run well on ultra (optimization issue) so I had to turn it down to high.”
    • “+ runs beautifully on the Steam Deck, only a few performance drops here and there but thankfully not in gameplay intensive moments.”
    • “Graphically, at first I thought it doesn't look great but definitely decent; apparently it didn't run well on ultra (optimization issue), so I had to turn it down to high.”
    • “The game runs fine most of the time, but I've had some bad framerates occasionally, even in places where performance drops shouldn't happen, like the menus.”
    • “Some of the balancing for melee combat seems to be poorly thought out. There are some optimization problems (no way should I be experiencing framerate drops on a 3080 and i9), and some of the environmental traps, particularly portraits that cast silence spells and wall spears in the labyrinth, are hard to see or impossible to do anything but duck and walk past.”
  • character development6 mentions

    The game features strong character development, with well-crafted characters that possess significant depth and contribute to an engaging storyline. Players appreciate the combination of interesting mechanics and a sense of discovery that enhances the overall experience, despite occasional frustrations in combat. The character and enemy designs are noted for their striking and atmospheric qualities, further enriching the game's narrative and gameplay.

    • “The story is very interesting, the characters have great depth, it’s scary, the enemies have great character design, the music is great, the atmosphere is on point, it has great ideas that it executes well, it keeps slowly feeding you new interesting mechanics and concepts, and its sense of discovery and progression is awesome.”
    • “Gorgeous / horrific enemy and character design.”
    • “Great story line, solid gameplay, interesting roguelite play loop, great character design, great audio, and pretty much everything else about this game is great. Combat can be a little frustrating at times, but with so many different ways to play the game, there's always a way around something.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its cute and funny elements, particularly noted for a hilarious walking animation featured in one of the endings. Overall, it blends horror with lightheartedness effectively.

    • “The walking animation on one of the endings is hilarious.”
    • “Cute and funny horror RPG.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game has been reported to have several bugs and glitches, some of which are game-breaking. However, players appreciate the developers' commitment to quickly addressing and fixing these issues.

    • “Unfortunately, I experienced various bugs and glitches (both game-breaking and not) along the way, but the best part is the dev is working hard to fix every issue real fast!”
    • “Unfortunately, I experienced various bugs and glitches (both game-breaking and not) along the way, but the best part is the dev is working hard to fix every issue real fast!”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Users express concern that Steam's monetization strategy does not adequately support small game developers, particularly in terms of advertising and visibility. They hope for improvements that would enhance the discoverability of indie games without requiring extensive browsing.

    • “Not to mention, Steam does not provide advertisement for small game developers.”
    • “I hope the company will improve the advertisement of this game, so that it gets easily recommended without browsing.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

33hMedian play time
38hAverage play time
25-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs

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